RCPC to Consider Housing Policy Recommendations for Rockridge

Unless you're Rip Van Winkel, if you live in Rockridge you are probably aware that Oakland is facing a serious housing crisis. The supply of housing has not kept up with the fast-increasing demand. As a result, home prices and rents have been rapidly escalating, and it's becoming harder and harder for anyone except the very well-to-do to find Oakland housing they can affort.

The Mayor and City Council have made it a priority to address this crisis, which is also one of the causes of Oakland's growing homless population. It's why the City adopted new laws to facilitate building or legilizing secondary units, and why the City is also reducing residential off-street parking requirements, to make parking costs less onerous for builders of mutifamily housing projects.

The City is also considering other options. Many of the City's decisions could affect Rockridge, and RCPC has decided it's better to start thinking about what Rockridge's role should be in providing more housing now, rather than waiting for the City to present a plan for Rockridge. Consequently, the RCPC Board has directed the Land Use Committee to begin study for a Rockridge Housing Pollicy. The Land Use Committee will be holding meetings for the next few months to gather input, and will then present its ideas at a community Town Hall to get feedback before a draft policy is prepared and presented to the Board of Directors for its consideration.

The Land Use Committee discussions will kick off with this coming Wednesday's (Jan 25th) Land Use Committee meeting at 7:30 PM at the Rockridge Branch Library, 2nd floor meeting room. The public is cordially invited to attend and participate.